Watchful Eyes
by SaraLyleth
Summary: Starts right after 3x05. Stefan is back in Mystic Falls wreaking havoc and threatening everything Elena holds close to her. And the one person there for her through it all, is Damon.
1. Chapter 1

**So I am not new to The Vampire Diaries, I've loved the show since the very first episode. This is my first story I've written for the show but I think I've caught the writing bug for the show. I am not a fan of Stefan and Elena being together but am a huge fan of Damon and Elena. I love the good girl, bad boy vibe. So I hope you like my story and let me know what you think. Enjoy**

**Chapter 1**

Elena stared at the empty doorway where Stefan had walked through moments before. She opened her mouth to say something but she couldn't say anything with the tightness in her chest. She closed her eyes and dropped her head down to her chest trying to figure out why she was beginning to feel lightheaded.

"Breath Elena," Damon ordered crouching down in front of her. He reached out and gently touched her chin, raising her head until he could see her face. He didn't relax until she started gasping for air and opened her eyes; the look of fear in them making him wish his brother was still in the room so he could pummel him for scaring her.

"He's staying…here," Elena said quietly her eyes searching his for something.

"Looks like," Damon said standing back up. "Seems you got your wish, Stefan is home."

"No," Elena said shaking her head. She dropped the blanket down and stood up, breathing deeply as she became light headed once again.

"No?" Damon turned to face her as he stood at the drink cart, pouring himself a drink this time. There was no way he could remain sober and listen to Elena wax poetic about Stefan finally coming home.

"Isn't this what you wanted Elena? Stefan home…ready to complete your fairy tale romance?"

"That's not Stefan." Elena crossed her arms across her chest and her eyes darted back to the doorway before coming to rest back on Damon. "Not the Stefan I knew…this Stefan…he's…"

"Different?" Damon suggested downing a large drink of alcohol. "I warned you Elena, Stefan has been feasting on human blood for months now-"

"I told you…I saw it happen," Elena interrupted him. "He was still Stefan, my Stefan, he was fighting Klaus with everything inside of him and then…he changed. He…he-"

"What happened?" Damon asked slowly turning to face her.

"I can't…." Elena shook her head rapidly back and forth biting her lip as she tried to maintain some semblance of control. Once she started crying, she would probably never stop. "Damon…will you take me home?"

Damon stared at her, wanting to demand that she tell him what had happened tonight, but even he could see that she was barely holding it together and that he would have to wait to get his answers. It was his own damn fault for leaving her alone and unprotected in the first place. Klaus and Stefan wouldn't have gotten near her if he'd been there watching over her. He nodded his head finally and watched as she took a deep breath before slowly making her way towards the front door.

"Elena," Damon said reaching down and picking up the necklace she had left behind. "Forgetting something?"

Elena turned to look but barely laid her eyes on the necklace before shaking her head slowly. "No…you can keep it."

Damon knew he was staring at her in surprise, his mouth hanging open as she turned and walked out of the room. She had adored this necklace, keeping it around her neck as if it was her only connection to Stefan and their relationship. He tucked the necklace into his pocket, positive that she would eventually change her mind and want it back. She was just hurt and scared for the moment.

Elena was waiting for him in his car, her arms wrapped protectively around her body. She winced when Damon climbed into the driver's seat and slammed the door behind him. She would probably be jumping at loud noises for many days, weeks or months to come.

She peeked at Damon's hands which were clenched tightly on the steering wheel as he started the car and soon he was driving the familiar streets to Elena's house. She wanted to ask him again where he had been today on what was probably one of the scariest nights of her life.

She'd had her fair share of scary nights but nothing as scary as watching someone you loved deeply coming after you with the sole intention of killing you. And Stefan would have killed her that she knew for sure, except Klaus had stopped him. But only because her blood was the answer to all his questions.

They didn't say a word the entire drive to her house both too wrapped up in their own thoughts. Damon full of guilt and Elena still horrified by everything she'd witnessed today. But neither one made a move to get out of the car even as Damon turned it off and clenched the keys into his fist.

"Are you going to be ok?" Elena finally asked turning her head to look at him.

Damon shook his head and sighed. "Shouldn't that be my question for you? You're the one who went through something pretty horrific tonight."

"You're the one who has to go home and stay with...Stefan...tonight," Elena said almost incapable of saying his name.

"I can handle Stefan," Damon scoffed opening his car door. Before Elena made a move to open her door Damon was already there holding it open and gesturing for her to get out.

"He isn't the Stefan we know anymore," Elena pointed out.

"I've been around this Stefan before Elena," Damon explained carefully. "I'll be fine." He strolled beside her as they made their way to the front door. "It's nice to know you're worried about me."

"I don't want to lose anybody else," Elena said softly. She reached out for the first time since he had carried her out of the hospital and grabbed his arm. "I can't lose anybody else Damon."

Damon kept his mouth closed but he wished he could tell her that she wouldn't lose another person she cared about but that wasn't a promise he could make. The deck was pretty firmly stacked against them with Klaus around and now they had Stefan to worry about too. Hopefully this vampire hunter Katherine was in the process of locating would be an ally and not another enemy.

Elena unlocked the front door and pushed it open but knew, before she even entered, that nobody was home. "Where is Jeremy? Alaric?"

"Ahh..." Damon closed his eyes and braced himself for Elena's temper. "Alaric I don't know but Jeremy is on a...mission right now."

"A mission? What mission?" Elena glared at him.

"Welllll with his new found ability to speak with ghosts, Jeremy has become very useful to our cause."

"What are you talking about?" Elena was growing more frustrated by the minute. "Just tell me where he is?"

"He is with Katherine trying to locate a vampire hunter who has the ability to kill Klaus."

"You left Jeremy with Katherine!" Elena said loudly.

"She's not going to hurt him," Damon pointed out. "She needs him right now."

"What happens when she doesn't need him anymore Damon?"

"He is fine Elena," Damon insisted. "A lot better than you I'm sure."

"He better be," Elena muttered running her hand through her hair. The hole where the IV had been sent a sharp pain up her arm and she winced lowering her arm back down to her side.

"Are you going to be ok?" Damon hated seeing her in pain. He would do anything to go back in time and tell Katherine to take a flying leap instead of joining her.

"I don't know," Elena answered honestly. And she really didn't know if she would ever be ok again. "This vampire hunter...do you think it's true? Can he really kill Klaus?"

"I don't know but Klaus sure left town in a hurry when I told him he knew he was in Mystic Falls."

Elena nodded and turned to go inside the house. She was beyond tired, though she knew a peaceful night's sleep was out of the question. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Stefan...running towards her...and she felt the seating pain in her neck. She would never forget that moment.

"Elena," Damon said putting his hands on the door so she couldn't close it yet. "If you need anything tonight-"

"I'll call you," Elena finished for him. "Goodnight Damon."

"Goodnight Elena." He stood on the porch, listening to her walk slowly up the stairs and didn't make his way back towards his car until he heard her flip the light switch in her room. He had no plans to leave her alone tonight, not after everything she'd gone through.

He didn't have to wait long.

Caroline ran towards Elena's house, desperate to know if she was ok. Klaus hadn't explained much when he'd fed Tyler her blood but she was positive her blood hadn't been taken nicely.

She'd just reached the front yard when she heard somebody hurrying up behind her. She whipped around ready for a fight after everything that had happened that night and when she saw Damon it only made her angrier. She turned and grabbed him once he was within reach and threw him at the nearest tree.

"What the hell?" Damon yelled glaring at her. "What was that for?"

"Where in the hell were you tonight Damon?" Caroline asked clenching her hands into fists as she glared right back at him. "Where were you when Klaus locked Elena in the gym with a homicidal vampire?"

"I was out finding a way to get rid of Klaus."

"Really? It would have been too late if Klaus had killed her tonight." Caroline felt a small glimmer of satisfaction when Damon couldn't hide the guilt that flashed through his eyes. "You're just lucky Klaus realized that Elena is the key to making his army of hybrids."

"Her blood," Damon said realization dawning.

"Yep, Elena's blood is the key to everything," Caroline said shaking her head at him.

"You need to stay with her tonight," Damon ordered turning to walk back towards his car.

"Why?" Caroline asked confused.

"She shouldn't be alone and I have a bloodthirsty houseguest to check on."

"Houseguest?"

"Stefan's back." Damon didn't say anything else just climbed into his car and gunned the engine watching as Caroline ran towards the front door. He pulled away as Elena opened the door.

Caroline froze as Elena opened the door and she got a good look at what one of her best friends had been through that night. From the bandage on her neck to the one on her arm. "Oh my god Elena...are you ok?"

Elena continued to stare at her before she simply shook her head and silent tears started rolling down her cheeks. She felt Caroline wrap her arms around and allowed her to shut the door and lead her back up to her bedroom. She sat down on her bed and watched as Caroline left and came back shortly with a first aid kit.

"They cleaned it at the hospital," Elena said before she could touch the bandage on her neck.

"Damon took you to the hospital?" Caroline asked surprised.

"No...Klaus." She stared down at her comforter as she explained the rest. "Once he realized my blood was the key, he took me and had me hooked up to an IV so they could get my blood-"

"Oh god," Caroline said her eyes widening in horror.

"Klaus was going to take me with him to make his hybrids but Damon stopped him," Elena explained.

"I should have done something," Caroline said shaking her head. "Instead I just sat there holding Tyler's hand-"

"No Caroline...Klaus would have killed you if you had tried anything." Elena grabbed her hand. "How is Tyler?"

"He says he's ok." But even she had to wonder how ok he really could be now that he was this hybrid thing.

"You don't believe him?"

"What do we really know about hybrids Elena? Nothing! I'm just afraid something's going to happen to him and we won't know how to fix it."

"We will figure it out...we won't let anything happen to Tyler." Elena squeezed her hand before letting go.

"Ok," Caroline said taking a deep breath. "Now I know you were just at a hospital but I want to check out your neck...just in case."

"Thank you Caroline," Elena said wincing as she peeled off the bandage.

"Klaus really did some damage Elena."

"It wasn't Klaus."

She could feel Caroline pause for a moment as she despised who had torn into her neck but she didn't say anything. Elena sat patiently until Caroline sat back and closed the first aid kit.

"All done." Elena waited for her to get up and make her excuses so she could go check on Tyler but instead Caroline scooted over and leaned against Elena's headboard.

"You don't have to stay with me Caroline. You can go check on Tyler."

"Tyler is home and ok...for now," Caroline said getting comfortable. "Besides, Damon doesn't want you here alone and I happen to agree with him." She glanced at Elena out of the corner of her eye. "He seems really guilty that he wasn't around tonight."

"He was with Katherine," Elena said having figured out where he was when he must have realized something was going on.

"I didn't know that," Caroline said annoyed again. "Why would he be with her?"

"He was trying to find a vampire hunter who may know how to kill Klaus."

Caroline's mouth dropped open. "Do vampire hunters really exist?"

"Alaric is a vampire hunter."

"He can't kill an original."

Elena sighed. "I know but Katherine insists this guy can kill Klaus and he did run as soon as Damon mentioned his name to him."

"Can we trust Katherine?" Caroline asked doubtfully.

"I have no clue," Elena admitted. She leaned back until her shoulder was right next to Caroline's. "Damon really asked you to stay with me tonight?"

"More like ordered me to stay." Caroline smiled at her when she rolled her eyes. "He is worried about you."

"I'm worried about him," Elena said biting her lip.

"Worried about Damon, why?" Caroline asked confused. "If anyone can handle himself it's him."

"Stefan's back."

"I heard." Caroline wanted to ask how Elena felt about that but after the night she just had she was sure her feelings were torn.

"A day ago...all I wanted was Stefan back," Elena explained softly. "But now...he isn't Stefan anymore."

"Maybe we can get through to him now that he is back." Caroline couldn't help but hope they would be able to reach Stefan and help him find his way back to who he used to be. He had helped her through her transition and she knew she had to repay him somehow.

"Maybe." But Elena wasn't sure if that was possible after having witnessed who Klaus had turned him into.

"Let's watch a movie," Caroline said jumping off the bed. "Something funny that will take our mind off of all the crap in our life."

"Does that movie even exist?" Elena asked sarcastically. But she nodded her head as Caroline made her way to browse Elena's movie choices. It wasn't long before she was holding up Bring It On, the cheerleading bible as Caroline called it. "Seriously?"

"Ahh, c'mon Elena," Caroline said pouting. "Don't you remember the first time we watched this movie; we laughed for hours. Besides, it will help me prepare for the upcoming cheerleading season."

"Ok," Elena sighed.

Caroline went to put the movie in but paused before hitting play. "Should we call Bonnie? Make this a girl's night." She smiled when Elena nodded and whipped out her cell phone to place the call.

A girl's night. It had been months since Elena had had one and as she watched Caroline talk to Bonnie she realized that maybe this wouldn't take her mind off of all her troubles; it would at least be a nice break.

Damon had barely put the car in park before he was already out of the car and inside the mansion. He paused, listening carefully until he heard Stefan inside the library. He used his vampire speed to reach the room in record time.

"Brother!" Stefan cheered raising his glass of scotch in the air as he turned to face him. "It's about time you show up." He feigned looking behind Damon before adopting a confused look on his face. "Where's Elena? She didn't want to join the party."

"Nah brother," Damon said coldly. "I think Elena is all partied out."

"That's too bad." Stefan took another long drink before shrugging his shoulders. "I never remembered Elena as being that much of a partier. No more like a party pooper."

Damon didn't let a second pass before he used his vampire speed to grab Stefan and slam him up against the nearest wall. "What did you do to her Stefan?"

Stefan rolled his eyes and shoved Damon across the room. "I barely bit her; Klaus stopped me from doing any serious damage."

"I found her in a hospital, hooked up to an IV, with her blood still dripping," Damon said clenching his hands into fists.

"She seemed fine to me," Stefan said nonchalantly.

"Her neck is torn apart."

Stefan sighed. "I may have been a little rough." He walked across the room, set his tumbler down and looked over at Damon with a small smirk. "But in my defense she smells so good." He ran out of the room his laughter ringing in the air as Damon grabbed the vase closest to him and launched it across the room.

"Damnit," he cursed making his way out of the house and headed to the Mystic Grill, Alaric's favorite place to drink. He wasn't surprised to find him occupying his favorite stool at the end of the bar. The best seat in the building to see who was coming and going. "I'd be careful Ric; soon everyone is going to figure out their favorite history teacher is the town drunk."

"What do you want Damon?" Alaric didn't even bother turning in his direction.

"Just wondering...how are Elena and Jeremy on this evening?" Damon watched as Alaric finally looked at him.

"Elena is helping the rest of the seniors with prank night at the school and Jeremy is at home."

"Really?"

Alaric finally registered that something was off in Damon's voice and pushed back from the bar so he could turn and face his former friend. "What is going on Damon?"

"Elena was attacked tonight, at the school, by our mutual acquaintance Klaus and my brother Stefan," Damon said glaring at him.

"Is she ok?" Alaric asked.

"Oh just perfect if you count having her neck ripped open by her boyfriend and then finding out her blood is the key to everything." Damon raised his hand to the bartender before pointing at Alaric's glass and then himself. "I thought you were supposed to be her guardian or something Ric."

"I'm her dead aunt's ex-boyfriend," Alaric retorted.

"Really? You've sure as hell been acting like more than that lately."

"Where were you Damon? You've taken more than an unhealthy interest in Elena lately. Why weren't you with her tonight?" Alaric asked eyebrows raised.

"I was out looking for a way to kill Klaus," Damon muttered taking a long pull from the glass the bartender set in front of him. "I had no idea Klaus was back in Mystic Falls and if I had I never would have gone on a little road trip with Katherine and Jeremy."

"What road trip?"

Damon sighed. "Katherine heard about a vampire hunter who knows how to kill Klaus but we didn't know where he was; Anna, Jeremy's dead little friend, does. So we...borrowed him."

"Damon-"

"He is fine; he'll be back in Mystic before you know it," Damon said rolling his eyes.

"Does Elena know you kidnapped her little brother?"

"Yes, but that's hardly the worst thing that happened tonight." Damon finished off his drink before he continued. "Stefan's back Ric."

"Back?"

"Stefan's home, not by choice, but by Klaus' compulsion. His soul job is to protect Elena."

"That's what you both wanted," Alaric pointed out.

"Yeah, back before he turned his humanity off. Stefan is high on human blood and is out to kill now. Mystic Falls is about to become a very dark place, well, darker than normal."

"What's the plan?"

"Right now...I don't know." Damon wished he had some sort of a plan. But, at the moment, they were in a holding pattern. Until he heard from Katherine about this vampire hunter, he didn't know what to do. "I'll keep watch on Stefan while you watch out for Elena. Having him back...it's going to be hard on her."

"I would have thought you would want Elena duty," Alaric muttered.

"What is your problem Ric? I'm sorry I killed you-"

"This has nothing to do with that. You need to give Elena some space."

Damon scoffed and pushed back from the bar, climbing off his stool. "Space huh. Seems like the space I gave her today almost got her killed. You may not trust me Ric but I made a promise to Elena tonight, I told her I would never leave her again. I'm not breaking that promise."

"She's confused Damon. She doesn't know what she wants right now."

"Don't you think I know that," Damon said his back to him. "I know she still loves my brother. But that doesn't change the fact that I will do anything for her. Including protect her from my brother."

Alaric watched Damon leave the bar, leaving him with the bill for his drink. When Damon said things like that, it made it hard for him to maintain his hatred for the vampire who he used to consider his friend. But he also saw the bad side to Damon and he knew it was just a matter of time before it came out again. And he would be there for Elena and Jeremy when that happened.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much to everybody who took the time to review and anyone else who signed up for alerts. **

**Chapter 2**

Elena opened her eyes the next morning, surprised to find that she had actually fallen asleep and had slept soundly. She had been sure she would have nightmares but maybe her body had been too tired to dream. She rolled over and smiled at both Bonnie and Caroline, who were sound asleep on her floor. She'd told them to go to the guest room but neither one of them would leave her alone. She had amazing friends.

She quietly climbed out of bed and walked down the hallway, peeking in on Jeremy, relieved to find him sound asleep in his bed. Damon had been right; he had been safe with Katherine. She made her way downstairs to the kitchen, her body crying for some coffee.

Soon she filled her favorite mug and walked outside to sit on the back porch. It wasn't long before she knew she wasn't alone. "I'm okay Damon."

"Sure you are," he retorted sitting down in the rocker chair beside her. "And last night was all sunshine and cupcakes."

"Last night was...eye opening," Elena said softly.

"Care to elaborate..."

"I always thought I knew what vampires were capable of. But I held Stefan above all that."

"And now Saint Stefan has fallen off his pedestal."

"I was wrong." Elena knew she had Damon's full attention. "I heard the stories straight from him. How he used to be but I thought he had changed."

"He did change Elena," Damon pointed out. "For years he survived on animal blood and wallowed in his guilt for his years of being the ripper. In fact, he wouldn't even be like this if it wasn't for me."

"That's not true Damon," Elena insisted.

"He only went to Klaus to beg for my life Elena. He should have just let me die."

"He'd never just let you die if there was a way to save you." Elena looked down at her cup of coffee and shook her head. "The truth is none of this would have happened if I had died in the car crash with my parents. The doppelganger would be dead and Klaus never would have come to Mystic Falls."

"You can't seriously be blaming yourself," Damon said staring at her incredulously.

"Why not? It makes as much sense as you blaming yourself." Elena arched one eyebrow as she stared at him. "The truth is it doesn't matter who is to blame. We just have to fix this. Stefan didn't want to be like this...he didn't want to be a killer."

"And how do you propose we fix my dear little brother?"

"I don't know Damon," Elena said honestly. "Did you talk to him last night?"

"He didn't come home last night."

Elena lowered her coffee cup and stared at him. "That's why you're here so bright and earlier. You were worried Stefan was here."

"The thought might have crossed my mind that he would stop by here, considering he has been ordered to watch over you," Damon admitted.

"Thank you Damon," Elena said softly. She opened her mouth to say something else but the back door flew open and Alaric stood there obviously nursing a very bad hangover.

"Elena, you have some very worried friends looking for you," he commented as his eyes dart back and forth between the two of them.

Elena stood up and noticed the look of annoyance on Damon's face as she passed by him. She attempted a smile but was sure it fell flat when he didn't smile back and instead disappeared in a blink of an eye.

She turned and followed Alaric back into the house, motioning towards the coffee pot. "It's strong," she advised heading towards the stairs. She could already hear Bonnie and Caroline moving around upstairs.

"Are you ok Elena?" Alaric asked concerned. He could barely look at her neck, the large white bandage a glaring reminder of what had happened the night before. "Damon told me what happened."

"I will be ok," Elena answered honestly. And she would be, someday. She trudged up the stairs, pondering the day to come. Tomorrow was the first day of school and she was barely prepared. A large part of her wanted to blow it off but she knew that was setting a bad example for Jeremy.

"Elena, there you are," Bonnie said from her bedroom doorway. "Where were you?"

"Getting coffee." Elena held up her mug as proof.

"And stopping for an early morning chat with Damon," Caroline commented coming out of the bathroom.

"How did you-"

"Vampire hearing people."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Did he have news on Stefan?"

"Stefan didn't go home last night," Elena said as she plopped down on her bed.

"Does Damon have a plan on how to handle him?" Bonnie sat down beside her.

"Honestly Bonnie, I think Damon and I are still processing the fact that he is back and that he is a danger to everybody in Mystic Falls."

"Except for you," Caroline pointed out. "You are the safest person in this damn town."

"Lucky me," Elena muttered.

"I can look for a spell," Bonnie said tentatively. "Something to maybe turn off Klaus' compulsion."

"No," Elena said shaking her head. "We don't know how Stefan will react if he finds out. I don't want to give him a reason to come after anybody I care about."

"Ok enough," Caroline said throwing her hands up in the air. "We've spent the past couple months worrying about Stefan, wanting him back here and now he's back. Okay, so maybe not the Stefan we all remember but I refuse to worry about him for another minute, at least today. Let's go do something fun."

"Like what?" Bonnie shared a look with Elena.

"Let's go shopping! My wardrobe seriously needs an update." Caroline threw open Elena's closet door and made a face. "And so does yours Elena. How 'bout yours Bonnie?"

"I could use some new clothes."

"Why don't we all get ready and meet back here in an hour?" Caroline said clapping her hands in excitement. She didn't wait for them to respond before she disappeared from the room.

"I don't want to go shopping," Elena said her voice dangerously close to a whine.

"I know." Bonnie reached over and squeezed her hand. "But maybe getting out doing something normal like shopping with your friends would be good for you."

"Ok," Elena said taking a deep breath. "I guess I'll see you in an hour." She waited until Bonnie had left the room before she got up and walked over to her mirror. She stared at her neck, the bandage would have to be changed but she didn't want to see the bite mark.

"Did I just hear Bonnie?" Jeremy mumbled from the doorway.

"Yeah she just left." Elena turned around forgetting about the bandage and that Jeremy still didn't know what had happened the night before.

"What in the hell happened to you?" Jeremy hurried across the room and made a move towards the bandage.

"I'm ok Jeremy," Elena said reassuringly.

"That's not what I asked you," Jeremy said intently.

"Klaus came back last night," Elena finally said.

"He did this." When her eyes darted away he shook his head at her. "It was Stefan, wasn't it?"

"He's not himself." Elena was finding it hard to stomach that excuse herself and she knew it wouldn't fly with Jeremy.

"So he bites you? So Damon didn't make it back in time."

"No, he did," Elena said walking across the room. "Klaus had some elaborate plan and Damon stopped him."

"Are they still here?"

"Klaus left but Stefan has been ordered to stay here and make sure nothing happens to me."

"No," Jeremy said shaking his head.

"I don't like it either Jeremy," Elena said facing him. "But at least with Stefan here we can watch him and hopefully come up with a plan to help him."

"Yeah, let's hope before he kills someone," Jeremy said storming out of her room.

"Jeremy!" Elena knew it was futile to chase after him. Jeremy wouldn't listen to her right now. She was better off letting him calm down and then trying to talk to him.

* * *

><p>The mall was crowded; full of people out doing last minute school shopping. Elena had lost count at how many people from school she had recognized.<p>

"Ooh look at that dress," Caroline cried hurrying into the nearest store.

"Didn't she say that about the last three dresses she bought?" Bonnie mumbled to Elena.

"Her mom's credit card is sure getting a workout."

"I heard that," Caroline's voice reached them from inside the store. She waited until they finally joined her inside before sighing. "My mom is totally trying to make up for the fact that my dad hates me. She told me to get anything I wanted."

"Have you talked to your dad since...?" Bonnie's voice trailed off.

"He isn't taking my phone calls." Caroline was usually pretty good at sounding like she didn't have a care in the world but both Elena and Bonnie could hear the hurt in her voice. "It's ok. He has to either except me as I am now or let me go...right? And he is my dad..."

"Your mom came around," Bonnie pointed out. "Give him some time."

"Why are we talking about this? We said no drama today. Just tons of shopping. Now Elena this dress would be perfect on you."

"I really don't need a new dress Caroline," Elena said still uneasy about the whole money thing. She and Jeremy had their trusts from their parents and a trust was set up for their houses expenses but Jenna had been in charge of all that.

"Nobody ever really needs a new dress." Caroline pulled it off the rack and held it out for her to take. "At least try it on."

Elena sighed, taking the dress from her and making her way towards the fitting rooms. She really wasn't in the mood for shopping and gossiping. She had too much on her mind and way too many things she should be dealing with. Starting with how they were going to handle Stefan and ending with not letting Klaus get a hold of any more of her blood; she didn't want to help him create any more hybrids.

It didn't take her long to get the dress on and she had to admit that Caroline was right; the dress did look good on her. She loved the deep purple color. She turned to look at the back side of the dress and nearly screamed when Stefan appeared behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Elena hated that her voice trembled and her back hit the wall of the dressing room as she tried to take a couple steps back. She hated that she was afraid of him now.

"Klaus gave me one job; make sure nothing happens to you Elena. I'm going to be following you, watching you." He leaned in and smirked when she looked towards the door behind him. "You will never make it." He reached out and grabbed her wrists, holding them both above her head with one hand. He leaned in, ripping the bandage off her neck so he could see the bite marks he had left behind. "Looks like it hurts."

"You're hurting me Stefan," Elena said glaring at him. She yanked on her arms but she couldn't make him let go until he wanted too.

"I am dying for another taste," he murmured enjoying the look of total fear that came into her eyes. He had always loved terrorizing people but girl's especially. Seeing total and utter fear, caused by him, was exhilarating.

"Klaus won't be happy," Elena warned. She nearly cried out in relief when he let go of her arms and backed away. She could see the hunger that was still in his eyes and if he opened his mouth she knew his fangs would be present.

"That was close," he said his mouth still salivating for a taste.

"This isn't you Stefan," Elena said softly covering the wound on her neck with her hand. "Somewhere inside you...you know this isn't right."

"All I know is I feel free for the first time in years and it feels great. Remember Elena I'll be watching." He disappeared as fast as he appeared.

Elena was sitting on the floor of the fitting room when Caroline and Bonnie walked in laughing. Her hand was still covering her neck and she was shaking with leftover adrenaline.

"Elena, are you okay?" Bonnie crouched down beside her looking from the bandage on the floor to Elena's neck.

"What happened?" Caroline asked looking around suspiciously.

"Stefan."

"Wait, Stefan was here? How come I didn't hear him?" Caroline was confused, with her vampire hearing she should have been able to hear him.

"Did he try anything?" Bonnie asked concerned. From the way Elena was shaking it was obvious more had happened than just a little casual conversation.

"He just wants me to know he is watching me...following Klaus' orders."

"So he's like stalking you now?"

Elena stared up at Caroline and after a long moment passed, she nodded. Stefan was stalking her. Wherever she went, he would follow.

"I don't like this," Bonnie stated helping Elena stand up. She looked back down at the bandage on the ground. "Did he take the bandage off?"

"Yes." Elena watched as they both shared a look before Bonnie picked her clothes off the bench and handed them too her.

"Get dressed," Caroline said as they both walked out of the fitting room.

Elena sighed and changed as fast as she could. She picked the bandage up and crumbled it in her hand, covering her neck with her other hand. She left the dress in the fitting room and hurried back out into the store. She accepted the scarf that Caroline held out to her with a puzzled look.

"You can't walk around covering your neck with your hand Elena."

"Do you think Stefan is still here?" Bonnie was looking around like uncomfortably.

"Probably," Elena admitted tying the scarf quickly.

"I take it our shopping trip is over," Caroline said only a little disappointed. When her mom had handed over her credit card and gave her permission to get whatever she wanted, Caroline had been excited, that was every teenage girl's dream. But the actual reality wasn't as great as it sounded; her mom was only feeling sorry for her. And Caroline didn't like pity shopping. She'd rather have her father's love.

* * *

><p>Damon sat down in the only available chair in Jeremy's room; he didn't know where Elena's little brother had gone but he had to be back eventually. And Damon didn't feel like dealing with Ric's contempt anymore today.<p>

He looked around the room, his eyes immediately finding the framed photo of Elena and Jeremy in a much happier time. Their parents stood beside them, every one of them had a big smile on their face. He'd never seen that smile on either of the Gilbert kids' faces since he'd met them. He picked up the frame and stared at the smile on Elena's face.

He wished he could have met Elena before...before Stefan...before her parents had died. Granted he still would have been the prick he'd been when he'd first come to town. Back when he'd still been obsessed with rescuing Katherine from the tomb; back when he'd been an idiot.

When he thought back to the many times he'd made fun of Stefan for falling in love with Katherine's doppelganger, he hadn't been able to see Elena's appeal. He still couldn't pinpoint the moment he had realized he had also fallen for the doppelganger.

He heard Jeremy coming long before he reached his bedroom giving him plenty of time to put the picture down and sprawl without a care in the world as Jeremy opened the door.

"Jesus!" Jeremy stood in the doorway glaring at him. "What are you doing here Damon?"

"We need to talk."

"Ever heard of using the front door?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "I didn't feel like dealing with Alaric and his ongoing antagonism."

"Well you did kill the guy," Jeremy pointed out.

"Can nobody let that go?" He stood up and walked closer to Jeremy. "What happened with that vampire hunter? Did you find him?"

"Call Katherine and ask her?"

"Don't you think I tried that already? She is not answering her phone." A fact that thoroughly pissed Damon off. Katherine swore up and down that she was trustworthy and had even proved herself as an ally but the radio silence over the past twenty-four hours was annoying.

"We found Michael," Jeremy said walking around Damon to his desk. "Katherine stayed behind to try and wake him up."

"Then why isn't she answering her phone?"

"I don't know," Jeremy said crossing his arms across his chest. "Now I have a question for you. What are you planning to do about Stefan?"

"Don't worry about Stefan."

"I can't do that. He hurt Elena Damon. He ripped her neck open."

"I know that," Damon grumbled. "He won't do it again. Not while he's under Klaus' compulsion."

"Why is that? Why is Klaus protecting Elena now?"

"Ask your sister." Damon moved towards the window, planning to leave the same way he'd entered.

"You know she never tells me anything."

"That's her choice." A choice that Damon rarely agreed with. The kid had earned the right to be fully informed. Plus he was their direct link to the other side. Damon cocked his head to the side when he heard Caroline and Bonnie's voices from downstairs. He froze, listening to their annoying chatter before returning and hurrying out of Jeremy's room through the door and running down the stairs.

"Damon!" Caroline said loudly when he appeared in the doorway. "What are you doing here?"

"When did you get here?" Alaric asked suspiciously as he walked into the room.

"What happened?" Damon asked ignoring the both of them. He stated at Elena who was just standing there starting back at him.

"Your psycho brother is what happened," Caroline said rolling her eyes.

"What did he do?"

"He cornered her in a fitting room," Bonnie explained to everybody.

"How did he know you were at the mall?" Alaric asked confused.

"He's following me," Elena said still staring at Damon. "Wherever I go, he goes. Klaus' orders."

"More like stalking her," Caroline mumbled under her breath.

"Are you ok?" Damon asked his voice dangerously quiet.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Elena nodded her head. "He just...he surprised me."

"He more than surprised you Elena. You were shaking when we got there." Bonnie stared intently between Damon and Alaric. "We have to do something about him. He can't just show up whenever he wants. Not anymore. We can't trust him."

"I know that look," Jeremy said. "You have a plan."

"There might be a spell that I can do...something to protect Elena from him."

"You mean like a barrier?" Alaric asked curiously.

"Elena already has her necklace," Caroline said confused but froze when she realized she hadn't seen Elena with the necklace since Bonnie had worked her magic with it. "Where is your necklace?" She turned to Bonnie. "Do you still have it?"

"No, Katherine stole it." Bonnie was still pissed she hadn't realized it was Katherine at the grill that day, not Elena.

"I have it." Damon started walking towards the door.

"Well give it back to her," Caroline said annoyed. "She needs it for protection Damon."

"I don't want it," Elena said calmly as she watched Damon head straight for the front door.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Caroline used her vampire speed to block the door.

"What do you mean you don't want it?" Bonnie asked confused.

"I don't want the necklace back."

"Move blondie," Damon said his voice flat and his face cold.

"No Damon," Caroline said glaring at him. "Stefan is a serious issue. We need to deal with him."

"And we will." Damon roughly pushed her aside and opened the door. "You guys can look for a spell while I go find my brother." He looked back and stared intently at Elena, not leaving until she nodded at him, letting him know she was really ok.

"You need that necklace Elena," Bonnie insisted.

"I can't wear it Bonnie," she said as she finally sat down on the couch. "It's from Stefan...and I just...I can't wear it right now."

"Can't we make her another necklace?" Caroline asked.

"Well yes," Bonnie replied.

"Great! One problem down." Caroline sat down beside Elena and stated up at Bonnie. "Now, you think there's a spell you can do?"

Elena sat back and listened to everyone surrounding her discuss how to keep her safe. She felt like they'd had this conversation way too many times and she was tired of it. She was tired of always having to watch her back and worrying about keeping her friends alive. She was just tired.

* * *

><p>Damon entered the boarding house full of rage, slamming the door behind him. He could hear the music coming out of the living room and walked around the corner not really surprised to see Stefan sitting in a chair watching a bunch of giggling girl's dance to the music. There was already one dead girl at their feet and there were bite marks on every other girl's necks.<p>

"Brother!" Stefan said his ever present smirk on his face. "You're just in time. Amanda here was admiring your photo and I told her you would love to show her a good time."

"What are you doing?" Damon asked disgusted. "Klaus preferred you to stay here to protect Elena, not kill every girl in sight."

"Who said anything about killing anybody?" Stefan asked innocently. When Damon looked pointedly down at the dead girl on the floor he chuckled. "Well that was an accident. Being so close to Elena today made me hungry."

"I'm getting sick of asking you what you did to her Stefan-"

"Then quit asking."

"So I'm just going to leave you with a warning," Damon continued ignoring him. "If anything happens to Elena, anything, I will kill you myself."

"Really?" Stefan said honestly a little surprised. He stood up and walked towards his brother. "Threatening my life now? Over Elena Gilbert? A girl who is clearly still in love with me, even though I can't be clearer when I say we are over."

"Nothing better happen to her Stefan," Damon repeated.

"Still chasing after my leftovers." Stefan shook his head as he pulled one of the girl's closer to him and kissed her cheek. "Have you ever thought about finding a girl who wasn't already in love with me?"

"Really Stefan," Damon said arching an eyebrow as he stared him down. "Is this you trying to get to me? Are you trying to screw with my head?"

"Maybe...just a little."

Damon laughed as he slowly backed out of the room. "I think you might need a little practice. Elena doesn't love me, I know this. But Elena still in love with you? I'm not so sure anymore." He turned and headed for the door calling over his shoulder, "Don't get any blood in the carpet please." He heard the girl's scream as he walked out the front door.

* * *

><p>Elena barely glanced at herself in the bathroom mirror as she hung up her towel after her shower. She'd stood in the hot water for almost thirty minutes praying that knots in her body would release or the headache that she had developed over the course of the evening would disappear. But all she'd managed to do was deplete the hot water.<p>

Elena wasn't paying attention as she walked into her room but she soon sensed Damon and found him sitting on her window seat. "Damon."

"If I didn't know you better I would have thought you were trying to drown yourself in there."

"But you do know me better than that," Elena said walking across her room so she could sit beside him.

"Yep, you rarely take the easy road," Damon said still amazed by that. Most humans he dealt with always looked for the easy way out, looked out for themselves. But never Elena.

"What easy road?" Elena mumbled under her breath but she knew Damon heard her, he heard everything. "I don't think a single part of my life has been easy."

"At least not since my brother and I disturbed your life." A part of Damon hated that they'd brought all this danger and destruction to her front door but a larger part of him couldn't imagine not knowing her.

"Since before that," Elena disagreed. "My whole life changed when my parent's car went through the guardrail. I didn't feel connected to anything after that. A part of me thought it was because I wasn't supposed to have survived. I was walking through my life praying for something to make me feel anything but nothing did."

"Then you met Stefan," Damon said looking down at the ground.

"He did wake me up," Elena admitted. "He made me feel again. Which is why I can't understand how that guy could turn into...what he is today."

"When Stefan drinks human blood...in the amounts he's been feasting on...he can't control himself," Damon tried to explain.

"Could you?"

Damon turned to stare at her, the impulse to lie and say 'of course I could control myself' was hard to ignore but he went for the truth this time. "I don't know. Stefan hasn't indulged in large amounts of human blood in years Elena, I only drink human blood."

Elena nodded and sighed. "I don't know what to do Damon."

"What do you mean?"

"We need to fix Stefan," Elena said biting her lip. "But I don't know how or if it's even possible."

"Did Bonnie find a spell?"

"She is still looking for one. Right now she is only focused on finding a protection spell, something to protect me from Stefan."

"He won't hurt you," Damon said seriously. When she turned to look at him he repeated it. "I told him I would kill him if anything happened to you."

"Damon," Elena sighed. "You can't kill him."

"I meant it." Damon reached over and took her closest hand in his. "I told you once that nothing would ever happen to you while I was around. I meant it. I won't let him hurt you."

Elena opened her mouth to say something but couldn't find the right words to respond with. She finally nodded her head and squeezed his hand. She knew he meant it. She didn't always understand it, his devotion to her. She hadn't done anything to deserve it our even asked for it. She'd even tried to push him away more times than she could count but he never went away.

And she needed that right now. She needed Damon.


End file.
